20 Oct 2014

Solomons Transparency furious at million dollar MP payouts

3:25 pm on 20 October 2014

Transparency Solomon Islands is calling on the country's caretaker government to revoke a 300 percent increase to MPs end of term payouts.

Ahead of next month's elections, the 50 MPs will be given payouts of more than 53,000 US dollars each based on a decision by the Parliament Entitlements Commission.

By comparison MPs just before the last election four years ago received just over 13,400 US dollars for their end of term payout.

The Chief Executive of Transparency Solomon Islands, Daniel Fenua, says there is no way to justify the new payments.

"This increase is very excessive, we believe that the decision made by PEC didn't take into consideration the, you know the economic situation in the country. We call on the PEC and the government as well to reconsider the decision made and revoke the decision made by PEC."

Transparency Chief Executive, Daniel Fenua.

The payout will cost the heavily aid dependent country about 2.7 million US dollars for money that the MPs do not have to account for.